Instrument for attaching torpedoes to railway-rails



(No Model.)

A. B. SHAW. INSTRUMENT FOR ATTAGHING TORPEDOES TO RAILWAY RAILS. No.338,307. Patented Mar. 23, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER B. SHAW, on ST. LOUIS, rssounr.

' INSTRUMENT FOR ATTACHING TORPEDOES TO RAILWAY-RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming-part of Letters Patent No. 338,307, dated ldarch23, 1886.

Application filed June 10, 1885. Serial No. 168,267 (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER B. SHAW, of the city of St. Louis, in theState of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inInstruments for Attaching Torpedoes to Railway-Rails, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad'to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,and in which" Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved instrument,showing it in position for applying the torpedo. Fig. 2 is an edge Viewof same. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the parts in the position theyoccupy when the torpedo has been attached to the rail. Fig. 4 is an edgeview of same with the handle turned on its pivots. Fig. 5 is an enlargeddetail vertical section taken on line 5 5, Figvl. Fig. 6 is an enlargeddetail vertical section showing the upper ends of the arms engaged withthe collar or flange on the sliding sleeve, the position they occupywhen they spring from the rail after attaching the torpedo. Fig. 7 is adetail top View of same; and Fig. 8 is a detail section showingadjustable disk.

My invention relates to an instrument for attaching torpedoes torailway-rai1s while a train is in motion, being operated by a person onthe back platform of the rear car of a train, or on other movingconveyance; and my invention consists in features of novelty hereinafterfully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, A represents part of a railway-rail, and B atorpedo, both of which are of common construction.

0 represents the handle or staff of the instrument,which may be of anydesired length. It is broken off in all the figures. Hinged to its lowerend at D is a sleeve, D, the upper end of which fits between arms 0 ofthe ban-'- dle, this part of the handle preferably consisting of metalfastened into. the other part of the handle at O WVithin the sleeve is arod, I, adapted to have longitudinal movement, and held from coming outby a pin, 1, therein fitting in slot D in the sleeve. On the lower endof the rod is a plate or disk, J, against the lower face of which thetorpedo is held when in place to be attached to the rail (see Figs. 1and 2) by spring-catches L, secured to the ends of a curved frame, L,pivoted at L to a plate or crossbar, L rigidly secured to the rod orstem I, the bow L of the frame extending beyond one end ofthe bar L asshown.

M M represent arms having projections M, fitting in notches L of the barL and held there by the pivot-pins M", by one of which the frame L isalso hinged to the bar. The normal position of the jaws M forming thelower ends of the arms, is open, as seen in Fig. 1, the arms being heldin this position by a spring, N, which is coiled upon the pins M and itsends made fast to the inclines or horns M preferably by the bent ends ofthe springs being secured in the holes M* of the horns. (See Figs. 1, 3,4, and 6.)

lhe jaws M are made flexible, being shown as made of rubber, and theirform and position are such that by their inward movement.

they clasp the attaching-strip B of the torpedo tightly around the capof the rail. 3.) vVhen the jaws are made of elastic and flexiblematerial-such as rubber-their inner sides will accommodate themselves tothe conformation of the part of the rail against which the jaws arepressed, so that when the torpedo may be applied over the fish-plates aneffectual attachment may be made; also, if the jaws should strike theends of the fish-plates, their yielding nature will prevent injury beingdone to the instrument. The jaws are forced inward for attachment of thetorpedo by toes D on the lower end of the sleeve D, which, as the sleeveis forced downward by the handle 0, bear against the inclines M of thearms. At the bottom of the inclines are notches M7 and projections orhooks l \Vhen the toes D reach thenotches, the spring N draws the hornsinward, (see Fig. 6,) causing the jaws M to be released from the head ofthe rail. (See dotted lines, Fig. 3.) To provide a positive means'forthus openingthe jaws, should the spring N fail to act, there are pins 0extend- (See Fig. I

ing downwardly from the toes Dflwhich come against the projections M ofthe arms inside the pivot-pins M just as the toes reach the notches M sothat the pressure applied to the handle will throw the jaws outward.Before the flange D reaches the notches one of the arms comes againstthe bow L of the frame L, and depressing it lifts or pulls thespringcatches L off the torpedo. (See Figs. 3 and 4;.) The catches areguided and held from lateral movement by fitting in notches J of thedisk J. (See Fig. 7.)

The sleeve D, when in its normal position, is held in line with thehandle by a springbolt, P, fitting in a socket, P, of a block, P securedto the handle. The bolt has a conical lower end that fits in the upperend of the sleeve. (See Fig. 5.)

Just as the flange D enters the notches in the jaws the upper end of therod I comes against the lower end of this pin or bolt P and forces it upout of the sleeve, and thus permits the handle to swing on the sleeve atthe pivot D, (see Fig. 4,) so that the moving of the train will notcause the jaws to be twisted over on the head of the rail.

P is a spiral spring surrounding the shank of the pin or bolt P withinthe socket, and tending to hold the pin down in engagement with thesleeve D.

R is a steel spring at the back of the rubber jaws M to add to thestiffness of the jaws.

WVhere torpedoes of uniform or nearly uniform thickness are used, thedisk J may be fixed to the rod 0; but to make the instrument equallyavailable for all forms of torpedoes, where there may be considerablevariation in thickness, I prefer to make the disk J adj ustable. Thismay be done, as shown in Fig. 8, by making the disk to screw on the stemor rod 0; and to hold it in position a set-screw, Q, maybe used, tappedin the disk and bearing against the stem.

I claim as my invention 1. In an instrument for attaching torpedoes torailway-rails, in combination with the handle, the spring jaws andcatches arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In an instrument for attaching torpedoes to railway-rails, thecombination of the handle, arms secured to the handle and provided withelastic jaws, and spring-catches for bolding the torpedoes,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an instrument for attaching torpedoes to railway-rails, thecombination of the bandle, sleeve secured to the handle, rod fitting andworking in the sleeve, disk on the lower end of the rod, plate securedto the rod, frame hinged to the plate, spring-catches secured to one endof the frame for holding the torpedoes against said disk, jaw-armshinged to said plate, springs connected to the arms to open the jaws,and lugs on said sleeve to close the jaws, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

4.. In an instrument for attaching torpedoes to railway-rails, thecombination of the handle, sleeve secured to the handle, rod fitting andworking in the sleeve, disk on'the lower end of the rod, plate securedto the rod, frame hinged to the plate, spring-catches secured to one endof the frame for holding the torpedoes against said disk, arms hinged tosaid plate and having notches l springs connected to the arms to openthe jaws, lugs on said sleeve to close the jaws, and pins on said lugsfor coming against projections on the arms, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. In an instrument for attaching torpedoes to railway-rails, thecombination of the handle, sleeve pivoted to the handle, rod fitting andworking in the sleeve, spring jaws and catches secured to the rod, andspringbolt arranged in the handle to hold the sleeve in line therewithuntil the torpedo'is attached and then released therefrom by the rod,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ALEXANDER B. SHAW.

Vitnesses:

SAML. KNIGHT, GEO. H. KNIGHT.

